Spodumene Species

 The Name refers to the mineral spodumese (Greek-ash colored) because the common non-gem crystals are mostly opaque, white to yellowish. For a long time gem varieties have been knows as hiddenite and kunzite; since the 1970s some isolated transparent colorless varieties have been found. Most recently light yellow and green varieties have also been know. Rarely displays the cat’s-eye effect.

Hiddenite is an attractive gem mineral, but is rare and for the most part known only to collectors. The green color varies from a yellowish to a bluish green and can even approach the beauty of an emerald green. Hiddenite is one of two gemstone varieties of spodumene. The other variety is pink and is called kunzite. Hiddenite is strongly pleochroic, meaning there is a color intensity variation when a crystal of it is viewed from different directions. The top and bottom of the crystal reveal the deepest colors and knowlegable gem cutters take advantage of its effects. Hiddenite was exclusively (until recent finds in Madagascar and Brazil) found in Alexander Co., North Carolina and was first discovered there in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Due to hiddenite's cleavage, splintery fracture and strong pleochroism, it is considered a real gem cutter's challenge.

 Kunzite: In the Pink
Kunzite, the pale pink to lilac gem variety of the mineral spodumene, is named as a tribute to George Kunz, Kunzite is relatively hard, with a hardness of seven just like quartz. However, kunzite should be handled with care because, like diamond, it has a distinct cleavage which means a sharp blow, if it lands in the wrong place, can break it in two. Kunzite should also be protected from heat and continued exposure to strong light which can gradually fade its color.

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